Vision
Today in Israel, homebound elderly face a myriad of daily challenges: economic, social and physical hardships. They often struggle with loneliness and isolation. The “Netu’im-Ben HaDorot: Between the Generations” Project will alleviate this sense of isolation by pairing students with homebound elderly, helping them with daily tasks, listening and writing down their stories, and keeping them company, bringing warmth and light into their lives.
Activity
The Netu’im program empowers the next generation of young homegrown leaders in the Israeli periphery, who study Jewish social values in a Beit Midrash program. The program syllabus directly addresses the importance of the connection between the generations, and honoring the stories of our grandparents. Students put these values they have learned into practice by running social action projects for their communities.
One of these projects in each of the nine Netu’im groups will be the “Netu’im-Ben HaDorot: Between the Generations” Project. 30 students (2-4 students in each group) will receive a (Perach Zahav) scholarship and will meet weekly with local elderly, individually and as a group. The students will visit with the elderly, help them with their daily tasks like going to the supermarket or helping them with the Israeli National Insurance bureaucracy. As they get to know each other, the students will begin to write down the stories and memories of the elderly as a legacy for future generations. Students will provide 75 hours of volunteer service as part of the project, throughout the school year.